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Theology: Theological Doctrines of Angelology
The study of angels is called angelology.
Note: This briefly covers both God's holy angels and the fallen
angels (demons) which are all
generically referred to here as angelic beings. (Some study
fallen angels separately under a category of Demonology.)
Note: The Bible is explicit about many things regarding angelic
beings; things we can know with certainty. The Bible also
contains many possible / probable references to angels from
which we glean further information about them, but which cannot
be stated with the same degree of certainty. These will be
designated Extrapolations. (Extrapolation = to infer [something
unknown] from something known.)
Existence
of Angels
Origin
/ Creation of Angels
Nature
of Angels
Some
Angelic Beings Rebelled
Personhood
of Angelic Beings
Varieties
of Angelic Beings
Abilities
and Activities of God's Holy Angels
Abilities
and Activities of Fallen Angels
Limitations
of Angelic Beings
Spiritual
Warfare
Destiny
of Angelic Beings
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Existence
of Angels
Angelic beings exist.
-
...I say to you, that their angels
in heaven continually behold the face of My Father who is in
heaven (Mt 18:10b).
-
"And He will send forth His
angels with a great trumpet..." (Mt 24:31a)
-
"Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He
will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?"
(Mt 26:53)
Notes
: The living Word - Jesus, and God's Word - the Bible, teach that
angels exist.
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Origin
/ Creation of Angels
Angelic beings were created by God.
-
Praise Him, all His angels... ... Let them praise the name of
the Lord, for He commanded and they
were created (Ps 148:2a,5).
-
For by Him all things were
created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and
invisible... all things have been created by Him and for Him
(Col 1:16a,c).
Notes
: Extrapolation - Angels were likely created before, or as, the
earth was created. This is thought to be so because of the
possible reference to angels in the following passage speaking
of God's creative acts.
-
Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me,
if you have understanding... ... On what were its bases sunk? Or
who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together,
and all the sons of God shouted for joy? (Job 38:4,6-7)
: Extrapolation - Many believe the 'sons of God' in the above
passage is a reference to angels, the same as another verse in
Job 1:6 where 'sons of God' is also believed to refer to angels.
: If it is accepted that 'sons of God' were indeed angels, their
'shouting for joy' at some point in the creation of the earth
would not necessitate their creation a long time before that.
They could have been created an instant before, or even as, God
created the earth. We simply do not know.
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Nature
of Angels
Angelic beings are all spirit beings.
-
But to which of the angels has He ever said... Are they not all
ministering spirits...
(Heb 1:13a,14a)
-
...and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits
and sicknesses: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven
demons had gone out... (Lk 8:2)
Notes
: Extrapolation - All angelic beings were originally created holy.
After creating all
things God pronounced everything
to be 'very good.' This would of necessity include all
angelic beings.
-
And God saw all that He
had made, and behold, it was very
good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth
day (Gen
1:31).
: Extrapolation - Even Satan himself is said to have been created
perfect and holy and is said to have been in that condition in
the garden of Eden. This is based upon a passage in the book of
Ezekiel which is believed to refer to Satan's creation and fall.
Note this passage is directed to someone called the King of Tyre
(especially in the first 10 verses), yet proceeds after that to
language that cannot be applicable to any mere man.
-
You had the seal of
perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in
Eden
,
the
garden
of
God
; every
precious stone was your covering... the workmanship of your
settings and sockets, was in you. On the day that you were
created they were prepared. You were the anointed cherub who
covers, and I placed you there. You were on the holy
mountain
of
God
; you
walked in the midst of the stones of fire. You were blameless
in your ways from the day you were created, until
unrighteousness was found in you. (Ezk 28:12b-15)
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Some
Angelic Beings Rebelled
Notes
: Extrapolation - At some point after being perfect in the garden of Eden (see above) but before
man's fall in the garden of Eden (Gen 3), Satan became evil. Is
14 is addressed to the king of
Babylon
,
but is believed to be referring to Satan.
-
How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning... You
have been cut down to the earth, you who have weakened the
nations! But you said in your heart, "I
will ascend to heaven; I
will raise my throne above the stars of God, and I
will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the
north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High." (Is 14:12a,13-15)
: Extrapolation - It is believed that Satan led a rebellion in
heaven in which a third of the angelic beings followed him.
-
A great red dragon... and his
tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven, and threw
them to the earth... And there was war in heaven, Michael and
his angels waging war with the dragon. And the dragon and his
angels waged war, and they were not strong enough, and there was
no longer a place found for them in heaven. And the great dragon
was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and
Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the
earth and his angels were thrown down with him (Rev
12:3b,4a,7-9).
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Personhood
of Angelic Beings
Angelic beings exhibit traits of personhood.
a. they think and speak
-
And the angel answered and said
to the women, "Do not be afraid; for I
know that you are looking for Jesus who has been
crucified." (Mt 28:5)
b. they exhibit desires
-
...things into which angels long
to look (1 Pt 1:12b).
c. rebellious ones exhibit a will that is contrary to God's
-
And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned
their proper abode... (Jude 6a)
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Varieties
of Angelic Beings
There are many different kinds of God's holy angels mentioned in
Scripture, some of which are:
a. archangel
-
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with
the voice of the archangel,
and with the trumpet of God... (1 Ths 4:16a,b)
b. cherub (cherubim = plural)
-
...and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim...
(Gen 3:24b)
c. seraph (seraphim = plural)
-
...I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with
the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim
stood above Him, each having six wings... (Is 6:1b-2a)
The names of some angelic beings (holy and evil) have been given in
Scripture.
-
But Michael the
archangel, when he disputed with the devil... (Jude 9a)
-
Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in
Galilee
, called
Nazareth
... (Lk
1:26)
-
...the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan,
who deceives the whole world... (Rev 12:9b)
There are different designations for fallen angelic beings, some of
which are:
a.
unclean spirits
-
And when Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly gathering, He
rebuked the unclean spirit...
(Mk 9:25a)
b.
demons
-
...the demons also
believe [that God is one], and shudder (Js 2:19b).
Notes
: The above are merely representative, and are not exhaustive.
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Abilities
and Activities of God's Holy Angels
God's holy angels have many abilities and carry out many
activities, some of which are:
-
And let all the angels of God worship Him (Heb 1:6b).
-
Bless the Lord, you His angels, mighty in strength, who perform
His word, obeying the
voice of His word! (Ps 103:20)
-
Are they [angels] not all ministering spirits, sent out to render
service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?
(Heb 1:14)
-
And an angel of the Lord appeared
to him... But the angel said
to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition
has been heard..." (Lk 1:11a,13a)
Notes
: The above are merely representative, and are not exhaustive.
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Abilities
and Activities of Fallen Angels
Satan and the other fallen angels are allowed to do many things, some of which are:
-
And the Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant
Job? ... And Satan answered the Lord and said... "However,
put forth Thy hand, now, and touch his bone and his flesh; he
will curse Thee to Thy face." So the Lord said to Satan,
"Behold, he is in your power, only spare his life." (Job
2:3a,4a,5-6)
-
...they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed...
(Mt 8:16b)
-
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are
perishing, in whose case the god of this world [Satan] has blinded the minds of the unbelieving...
(2 Cor 4:3-4a)
-
[Paul said] There was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me - to keep me
from exalting myself! (2 Cor 12:7b)
Notes
: The above abilities and activities are merely representative, and
are not exhaustive.
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Limitations
of Angelic Beings
Angelic beings are all limited in what they know and what they can
do.
a. limited in knowledge
-
But of that day and hour no
one knows, not even
the angels of heaven... (Mt 24:36a)
b. limited in what they are allowed to do
-
So the Lord said to Satan, "Behold, he is in your power, only
spare his life." (Job 2:6)
c. cannot continue to inhabit unbelievers if cast out
-
And just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean
spirit... And Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come
out of him!" (Mk 1:23a,25)
Notes
: The above limitations are merely representative, and are not
exhaustive.
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Spiritual
Warfare
Satan and fallen angels are considered
the enemy. Believers have a responsibility to do the following
with them.
-
...in order that no advantage be taken of us by Satan; for we
are not ignorant of his
schemes (2 Cor
2:11).
-
Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand
firm against the schemes of the devil (Eph
6:11).
-
Submit therefore to God.
Resist the devil and
he will flee from you (Js 4:7).
-
Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are
recorded in heaven (Lk 10:20).
Notes
: The above things are merely representative, and are not
exhaustive.
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Destiny
of Angelic Beings
Angelic beings have differing destinies.
a. Extrapolation - God's holy angels will worship and serve God
forever, as they are seen doing in this verse.
-
And all the angels were standing around the throne... and they
fell on their faces before
the throne and worshipped God... (Rev 7:11a,c)
b. Rebellious fallen angels will one day be in the
eternal fire, which was prepared for the devil and them.
-
Then He will also say to those on His left, "Depart from
Me, accursed ones, into the eternal
fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels..."
(Mt 25:41)
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